The present application is directed to a hitch for providing articulation between an all terrain vehicle (ATV) and a mower deck positioned in front of the ATV. The hitch allows the mower deck to follow the terrain of the ground being traversed by allowing the mower deck to rotate both from side to side about a horizontal axis aligned with the direction of travel and from front to rear relative to the ATV, while providing resistance to torque about a vertical axis.
The popularity of ATV's has led to the proliferation of various equipment to be used on or in conjunction with an ATV. One somewhat natural combination has been to attempt to utilize the ATV with a mower, as an ATV can traverse fairly rough ground and the addition of a mower to the ATV eliminates the need for a riding lawn mower for the same purpose. Consequently, there have been various combinations of a mower deck with an ATV, with mixed results. The main problem with such a combination has been in the hitch connecting the two devices.
In particular, the combination of a mower deck and an ATV produces a fairly long vehicle where the two vehicles do not traverse exactly the same terrain with the effect that the ATV may be on a completely different slope either with respect to side to side or from front to rear as compared to the mower deck. If the mower deck is hitched to the ATV by a relatively inflexible hitch, then the mower deck will have a tendency to not follow the terrain over which it is traversing, but rather to have approximately the same attitude as the ATV.
This results in an uneven cut and can cause scalping and the like. Consequently, an articulation is needed in the hitch connecting the mower deck and the ATV that allows movement of the mower deck both to rotate about a horizontal axis from side to side and from front to rear relative to the ATV, so that the mower deck can closely follow the terrain over which it passes.
It is also noted that there has been some attempt to build articulated hitches for this purpose in the past. Unfortunately, such hitches have apparently all been designed in such a manner that they would not withstand the forces placed on them by the mower deck and the ATV and have failed rather quickly. The main reason for such failure is that the hitch must be able to transfer the motive power of the ATV to the mower deck without buckling the hitch and without letting the mower swing or torque about a vertical axis to the right or left relative to the ATV. Therefore, not only is an articulated hitch of importance, but the hitch must be sturdy and able to withstand the wear and tear that is normally found in such vehicles and resist torque, while still providing the articulation.